Police hope new photos will help find remains of British backpacker Peter Falconio 25 years after infamous murder

The investigation into the murder of Peter Falconio and the abduction of Joanna Lees will stay open until his remains are found, NT police say. Photograph: PA Images/Alamy View image in fullscreen The investigation into the murder of Peter Falconio and the abduction of Joanna Lees will stay open until his remains are found, NT police say. Photograph: PA Images/Alamy Police hope new photos will help find remains of British backpacker Peter Falconio 25 years after infamous murder Northern Territory police reopen evidence boxes in bid to close investigation of horrific crime Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Northern Territory police have reopened evidence boxes to uncover several previously unseen photographs from the investigation into the murder of British backpacker Peter Falconio and attempted abduction of his girlfriend Joanne Lees. Tuesday is the 25th anniversary of the outback disappearance, which still resonates as one of Australia’s most horrific and culturally defining crimes. It also carries unanswered questions for Falconio’s family. Bradley John Murdoch was convicted of the 28-year-old’s murder, but he died on 15 July 2025 without ever admitting to what he had done or disclosing the location of Falconio’s remains. Sign up for the Breaking News Australia email In an effort to reinvigorate the case, NT police have released images, including one which shows a stunned looking Lees in the hours after her encounter with Murdoch on a remote part of the Stuart Highway on the fateful evening of 14 July 2001. She narrowly managed to escape him and, in doing so, likely saved her own life. Another shows Murdoch as photographed by police, staring back at the camera. View image in fullscreen Joanne Lees was photographed less than 24 hours after her boyfriend Peter Falconio was murdered and she escaped her own attempted abduction. Photograph: NT Police Footage was earlier released of officers’ final efforts to convince Murdoch to reveal the whereabouts of Falconio’s body. The jailed killer denied having any knowledge of, or information about, the death. View image in fullscreen Convicted killer Bradley Murdoch was photographed by police as part of the investigation into Peter Falconio’s murder. Photograph: NT Police Other images released by police include the orange Kombi van the young couple were travelling in and cuts and grazes sustained by Lees during her ordeal. In another photograph, evidence markers on the side of a desert highway appear to line a dark red stain on the rough bitumen. Despite Murdoch being convicted and sentenced to life, the investigation into Falconio’s murder would stay open until his remains were found, the NT Police commissioner, Martin Dole, said. “This was a traumatic and horrific event for Ms Lees and for Peter’s family, who have now gone such a long time without the answers they deserve,” he said. “It is deeply regrettable that Murdoch di